Means for conditioning yarns in knitting machines



R. N. APPRICH Oct. 22, 1935.

MEANS FOR CONDITIONING YARNS IN KNITTING MACHINES Filed Sept/ 19, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR:

ATTORNE i301? B Y R. N. APPRICH Oct. 22, 1935.

MEANS FOR CONDITIONING YARNS. IN KNITTING MACHINES Fild Sept. 19, 1934' 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I IN V EN TOR floberilf BY I NW Wm mm R. N. APPRICH Oct. 22, 1935.

MEANS FOR CONDITIONING YARNS I N KNITTING MACHINES Filed Sept. 19, 1954 5 Sheets-Shet 3 INVENTORf. 7 1 gunman fi BY I r j WATTORNE Oct. '22, 1935. R, N. APPRICH MEANS FOR CONDITIONING YARNS I-N KNITTING MACHINES 5 sheets sheet 4 Filed Sept. 19, 1954 III-Iv- IN VEN TOR.

oberi 1K flfiprioig 644 A TTORN Isa/ g z Oct. 22, 1935. R. N, APPRlCH 2,018,627

MEANS FOR CONDITIONING YARNS IN KNITTING MACHINES Filed Sept. 19, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TOR: gobez'i 1117 ,6 rich BY 5 Z: Y 5

ATTORNE H Patented Oct. 22 1935 My invention relates to means for conditioning yarn, and particularly to a device for controlling the temperature and other conditions of a liquid for moistening, or otherwise treating, the yarn employed'in a knitting machine.

In the production of knitted fabrics, on straight or. full fashioned knitting machines, it iscustomary to lead the thread or yarn from cones or supply packages, through the so-called m0is tening troughs, at which feltsflare disposed, between, or over, which the yarns pass on their way to the thread carriers which feed the yarns to the needles;' the felts having portions immersed in static bodies of liquid for supplying the liquid, as by capillary or wick action, to felt portions outside the main liquidbody, which portions are engaged by the yarns. In other instances, the yarns are led directly into the liquid bodies in. the troughs by'means of .rolls or like guides whereby the yarn may be more thoroughly moistened; these methods being selected in accord-f ance with the requirements of particular yafns. Such ordinary moistening-trough structure is limited according to the nature and rate of feed of the yarn, and the nature of the liquid, in the degree'of saturation. it can effect in any given yam, because, the temperature is that of the room in which the machine is disposed.

In other cases, it has been found desirable to more thoroughly or rapidly wet the yarn, and, in an effort to effect this result in a more, facile and effective manner than could be obtained with the ordinary trough and felt arrangement at room temperature, it has been suggested to force steam against the yarn at the position of yarn contact with the felts. This arrangement is, however, unsatisfactory because the yarn or strands, employed in the knitting machine, vary widely as to texture, gauge and other character- "istics, such that a constant high temperature, at or near the temperature of steam, or any tem perature which cannot be varied or controlled, is not best suited to yarns of all kinds, or to all conditions of knitting. Also, the felts are ad-- versely affected by contact with steam, or with liquidat high temperature, particularly that at or near the temperature of steam, such that theyrequire more or less frequent replacement. a

Other arrangements have been employed, such a leading a'plurality of the yarns, of one or two sections are flat-knitting machine, through a static bodyof liquid in a single moist nin e vice, which structure is relativelyexpensive, requires rearrangement of the yarns from standard practice, and has other disadvantages.

j UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE MEANS FOR.CONDITIONING YARNS KNITTING MACHINES Robert .N. Apprich, Wyomissing, Pa., -'assig'nor to Textile Machine Works, Wyomissing, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application September 19, 1934, Serial Nohmasai A further device heretofore used is one in which the temperature of static liquid bodies in the several moistening troughs of a multi-yarn machine is determined by electrical heating units disposed'one in each trough, and adjusted by a 5 control mechanism common to all-of the troughs. This device,when employed in a machine during the knitting of silk yarns, causes the accumulation of gum in the troughs, and at the sinkers and dividers. l0-

Dust, lint and otherforeign bodies also, accumulate in the above-mentioned devices such as to adversely affect both the knitting, operation feed or other requirement of knitting closely in accordance with any exact .requirements as to oisture and temperature relating to that particular -yarn; to permit ready adjustment of the 30 same machine to different yarns; to provide a device of the indicated character of simple and durable construction, economical manufacture, and effective operation; to construct the device 'for application to existing machines, and ma- 35 chines of various sizes and types, with practically no change iifthe standard or customary arrangement and manipulation of yarns, except as to the moistening troughs and provision for parts of the new device; and to render the device an im- 40 provement generally in its. field.

with these and other objects in view, which will become apparent from the following detailed description of the illustrative embodiments of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, my invention resides in the novel elements, features of construction and arrangement of parts in cooperative relationship, as hereinafter mo particularly pointed out in the claims.

Inthe drawings: 5o 1 Figure 1 is a perspective view, of portions of a full-fashioned knitting machine, and of the structure of my invention as related thereto,

Fig. 2 is. a view, in rearelevatibn, of a fullfa'shioned knitting machine embodying the invention, certain parts being broken away and others in section,

Fig. 3 is a view, taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, slightly enlarged with respect thereto, certain parts being indicated in full lines, and others in broken lines; a control system and elements being indicated diagrammatically,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view, in front elevation, of an adjustable control device employed in the invention, 7

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view, taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Fig. 2, i A

Fig. 6 is an enlarged-view, taken substantially along the line 66 of Fig. 5. 1

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view of a moistening trough and its support structure, as viewed near the upper left central portion of Fig. 2, and i Figs. 8, 9, and 10are views taken substantially along the lines 8--8, 9-9, and Ill-l0, respec- 30. tening liquid; the normally stationary contact members being adjustable, relative to each other and to the balancing contact member, to deter mine the distance of the above-mentioned gap,

which represents the range of temperature over as which the liquid may be allowed to fluctuate, or.

at which the system works best. e normally stationary contact members, being connected, re-

' spectively, to a cooling device, such as a fan-' cooled radiator, and to a heating device, such as a resistor, associated with the yarn-conditioning liquid, and the balancing contact member being actuated in accordance with the temperature of the liquid, slight rises and falls of temperature actuate the balancing contact member, one way or the other, to periodically operate the fan and the resistor such that the temperature of the liquid'is maintained substantially constant. To adjust the device to thus operate at any particular temperature, the gap is shifted by moving the normally stationary contact members simultaneously, and equally in thesame direction to a new position, where the balancing contact member resumes its back and forth operation to maintain the newly selectedtemperature.

The liquid is provided in quantity.sufiicient to keep one or a series of moistening troughs to full. level, and to have a reserve supply in a reservoir,

and is directed, through a substantially closed or continuous circuit, from the reservoir to each trough and back. Although the circuit is continuous, or endless, in the circuit sense, its enclosing struc tact of the liquid with the yarns. where it receives lint, dust .and other foreign matter, as mentioned above. InYthe ordinary moistening troughs, this matter-accumulates at the station.- ary body of the liquid. Where these static bodies are sufiiciently heated; silk. thread, gives oil. some of its gum, and the liquid receiving an undue quantity, passes it along theyam to the sinkers carried by th circulating liquid away from the troughs tofa filter which prevents the return thereof to troughs, the means for eflecting. this resultzoperatingio removejcertain of the e is open at the troughs for eonand dividers. In the invention, these matters are heating in the several moistening devices, in

which aspect, the invention contemplates the use of such circulation of a fluid separate from the yarn-conditioning liquid, which may circulate 0 remain static. 1 Referring to the drawings, in which a knitting machine is illustrated by way of example as a preferred device for whichmy invention is particularly adapted, only the parts of such machine necessary to a. full and complete understanding 0 of the invention are therein shown, the various other parts and ,mechanisms, and the manner of operation thereof, being well known in the art, as shown and described in the Reading Full Fashioned Knitting Machine Catalogue, copyright 5 1929, and published by the Textile Machine Works, Reading, Pennsylvania.

Referring particularly to Figs. 2 and 3, among the parts of a full-fashioned hosiery-knitting machine therein shown, sufiicient for an understanding of the invention, isabase or support having 1 and contour, indicated generally by broken lines in Fig. 3, and including usual end and intermediate frames l5, and beams II' common to the units of a multiple-unit machine. A knitting mechanism l8 is represented generally in Fig. 3, and it is to suchmechanism of each unit or section of the machine'that a yarn-25, to be conditioned by my invention, is fed from one of several usualcones 22 or sourcesof supply, in" a yarn box 23, over a thread guide rod 24 to a yammoistening trough 25; constituting one of the primary elements of myinvention, and from the trough 25, through a ring tensioning device 2l anda snapper '28, and past another thread guide rod 29 to a yarn carrier 32. The latter traverses a bank of needles 34 held on a needle bar 35 by a a clamp 35, and cooperating in a. usual manner with the bar, is relatively :rigidly'supported thereby; the bar 41 being secured to a poriton-48 of the I machine frame, as by bolts 50. Felts 52 of substantially U-shape have lower portions immersed in the yarnconditioning liquid, and portions u and 5;, above the level of-the liquid. The 1 yarn 20 passes through the portion 54 in entering the trough, and then. passes downwardly int the liquid about a preferably glass roller or bar 55 that is supported in bearings or brackets 51 in the trough, see Fig. 8. Moving upwardly 7 from the bar 55, the yarn' 25, then passes through the felt portion 55. t I

An upright inlet conduit element 58 depends from an upper horizontal supply conduit 60 into the trough 25 to a position below the level of the frame 90 on the beam II.

2,018,627 liquid 53 to prevent splash and the resultant damage to surrounding parts by rust. The conduit 60, supported along the upper portion of the machine, as by clips 62 secured to the bar 41 by bolts 63, communicates at its ends, near the ends of the machine, with the upper ends of upright conduit sections 54 and 65, which communicate, at the lower ends, with a horizontal pipe section 81 secured to the end and intermediate frames I5 of the machine, as by brackets 68. An upright conduit I0, at the lower end of which a filter I2, Figs. 2 and 3, is disposed in a reservoir 13, is provided with a pump 14, and communicates with the pipe section 51 at a T connector 11.

The pump 14 draws the liquid 53 from its reserve supplyin the tank or reservoir 13, through the filter or strainer 12, and forces it toward the T connector 11, where it divides to pursue opposite courses along the conduit 81 to the riser conduits 64 and 85, and to the upper conduit 80, from which it descends through the conduits 58 into the troughs 25. The pump 14, as indicated more clearly in Fig. 6, is of the gear type having gear wheels 18 and 19 on shafts 80 and 8I, respectively, in a casing 82. The casing 82 is carried by a bracket 83 that is bolted to the rear beam I1, and carries an idler pulley wheel 84 for tensioning a belt 85 that extends between'a pulley wheel 86 on the cam shaft 87 and ,a pulley wheel 88 on a shaft 89 that is journaled in a The pump shaft 8| projects from the gear wheel 19 through a wallof the pump casing 82 and has an extension 86 journaled outside the casing in the frame 90 parallel to the shaft 89 and connected to the shaft 8| through a clutch 69 having a handle II. Pairs of conically-shaped wheels 9I and 92, Fig. 5, are keyed to the shafts 89 and 66, respectively, the wheels of each pair being rela tively movable along the shaft thereof, and a chain 93 extending between the respective pairs of wheels 9| and 92.

Levers 94, pivotally mounted on pins 95 carried by the frame 90, are connected by links 98 to a beam al that is journaled on a shaft 93 sup-. ported by theframe 90,. The shaft 98 is fixed to a lever arm 99 that is loosely connected, by a connector I00, to a shaft I M which extends to,

and is joumaled in, a bearing I02 on the front beam IT. The shaft IOI has a hand wheel I03 at the front side of the machine.

By reason of the pivotal mounting of the levers 94 on the pins 95 between the wheels 9| and 92, when the hand wheel I03 is turned one way or the other, the conical wheels of one of the pairs 9| and 92 are moved closer together, while. the wheels of the other pair are moved farther apart, or vice versa, this action causing the chain 93 to increase or decrease its turning radius about one pair of the wheels while decreasing or increasing its turning radius about the other pair.

of wheels, whereby the rate of rotation of the pump shaft 8| relative to that of its actuating v shaft 81 may be varied.

through upright conduit sections I01, to a return pipe section I08 that is securedto the machine frame, as by hangers I09, and extends generally horizontally along the upper part of the machine to an upright return conduit I I including a shut-ojfi valve II3. Adjacent to the reservoir 13, the conduit IIO leads to a trap or filter device III, preferably of the" renewable cartridge type, including a movable cover or lid II2 for removing and replacing a filter cartridge I I4 in the trap III, Fig. 6. The liquid path continues from the trap III through a conduit II5 to a radiator H5 that is cooled by a fan I" driven by a motor I I 8 mounted ona support I2 I. From the radiator I I8, theliquid returns to the reservoir 13 through a conduit I I9; the reservoir also enclosing a heater I in the form of an electricalresistor immersed in the, liquid. 15 As shown diagrammatically in Fig. 3, a control system, indicated generally by the reference numeral. 122, comprises a' balancing contact mem-: ber I23 pivotally mounted on an insulating panel I24 by a. pivot pin I25 and provided with a crank 0 arm I 28, seealso Fig. 4, secured, by a link I21,

I23 in one direction or the other about its pivot pin I 25. 1

Normally stationary contact members I3I and I32, in the form of axially alined screws havingadjacent contact ends spaced from each other at opposite sides of the balancing contact arm I23, are mounted in screw-threaded lugs I32 on an insulating plate or sector I34 which is also pivotally mounted on the panel I24 by the pin I25. An

- operating shaft I35, mounted on the panel I24 in a bearing I35 has a knurled handle I31 and a g worm screw I38 which engages a worm-wheel 'sector I39 on the insulating sector I34 whereby to adjust the latter about the axis of the pivot pin I25. Thus, by turning the handle I31, the

normally stationary contact members I3I and I32 may be moved bodily so that the air gap between the adjacent ends thereof may be shifted. The size of the gap itself may be adjusted by turning one or both of the screwcontact members I3I and I32, each relative'to its supporting so lug I33. Thus, nomatter to which position the air gap between the screws I3I and I32 'is adjusted, the balancing contact member I23 will tend to -assume a neutral position between the screws I3I and I32, representing a given gem-- perature, as will hereinafter more clearly appear. This temperature may be any one within a, selected range, indicated by a scale I40 on the panel I24, for cooperation with a pointer or index I4I-on the sector I34. I g The normally stationary contact member I32 is connected, by a conductor I 42 through a coil I43 and a. conductor I44 to a conductor I45 of v a pair of main conductors|45 and I46 of aserw f 'ice circuit that is connected by a master switch I41 to a main supply circuit including conductors I48 and 148 for connection to the conductors I45 and I48,respectively. The heater I20 is con-, nected acrossthe conductors I 45 and I48 by conductors I50, I5I and I52, stationary contact memrs I53 and a movable contact, member I54 secured to a magnetizable core member I55 that iscontrolled by the coil I43 and a spring I58.

The normally stationary contact member I3I is connected by a conductor I51, through a coil I58 and a conductor I59 to the conductorJl45. The fa'nmotor H8 is connected across the' conductors I45 and I46 by .conductors I60, I62 and I63, stationary contact members I64 and a movable contact member I65 that is secured to a.

core member I66 controlled by the coil I58 and y a spring I61.

The balancing contact member I23 is connected by-a conductor I68 andthe conductor l63 to the main conductor I46.

In operation, the handle I3] is manipulated to place the pointer HI opposite a selected mark on the scale MO- representing the temperature will engage the arm I23 to one or the other of I the normally stationary contact members I3I and I32 to operate either the fan ITI or the heater I20. When the latter has brought the temperature 'of the liquid to the desired value, the balancing arm I23 will disengage the contact member I3I or I32 with which it has been in contact, thus removing further heating or cooling action, by the heater or the fan, respectively.

Depending upon various .conditions of operation andthe ambient temperature, the selected temperature may be maintained by a succession of operations of the heater, by a succession of operations of the cooler, by alternate operations of the heater and cooler, or other combinations of such operations.

The fluid 53 in the reservoir 13, being thus maintained at a'substantially constant tempera- .ture of any desired value, isdrawn by the pump I4 through the strainer 12 and the conduit I0, v and forced through the oppositely extending horizontal sections of the conduit 61, and the upright conduits 64 and 65, to upper horizontal conduit 60, where it is fed to the troughs 25 through the inlet conduits 58.

The yarn 20, feeding-from its supply cone 22 to the knitting mechanism I8, passes over the guide rod 24, through the portion 54 of the felt 52, downw rdly into theliquid 53 around the bar 56, upwar y to the felt portion- 55 and through the latter toward the knitting mechanism. With the liquid in a static or quiescent state, as in prior art devices, accumulations of gum, dus't,

lint and other foreign matter occur to not only deleteriously aifect the moistening or conditioning of the thread but to further cause loss and inconvenience by frequent stoppage of the ma.-

chine for cleaning the troughs. Accumulated gurmin the troughs also moves along the yarn to the sinkers and dividers to cause the consequent imperfect action, delays, expense and other troubles incident to such feature. It may be understood, particularly from Fig. v9, that by the cir- "culatirig fluid and overflow-pipe arrangement,

the surface of the liquid is maintained clear of floating particles, and that by'the continued supply of fresh liquid, the conditioning of the thread rendered and maintained more uniform and effective than could possibly be efiected with a static or stationary liquid body. By periodi cally lifting the removable overflow conduit sections. IM or! the seats" thereof in the members I65, the troughs may be thoroughly flushed by .the circulating liquid.

By providing for the circulation of the liquid,

the choice of its temperature over a given range, the automatic maintenance of.the selected temperature, the control of its rate of flow, the automatic carrying of certain accumulations from,

and the periodic flushing of, the troughs, the,-

filtration of the liquid, the ready maintenance of an effective filter, the adaptation of the structure to existing machines of different sizes or kinds with substantially a minimum of change, and other features, a device is provided for more thoroughly and effectively conditioning yarns of a wide variety, and that. is more flexible in its application, use and maintenance than any prior device of which I am aware.

Of course, the novel device and improvements shown and described can bechanged and modified in various ways without departing from the invention herein disclosed and hereinafter claimed.

I claim: I

1. A knitting machine comprising a source of yarn supply, a knitting mechanism, means for feeding the yarn from said source to-said mechanism, means for conditioning the yarn' for knitting comprising means for circulating a liquid with which the yarn cooperates for treatment thereby, and means for controlling the temperature of the yarn-treating liquid.

2. In a knitting machine, the combination with a source of yarn supply, a knitting mechanism, and means for feeding the yarn from said source to said mechanism, of means for conditioning the .yarnzfor knitting comprising means for circulating a liquid with which the yarn cooperates for moistening thereby, and means for adjusting the temperature of said liquid to any one of a plur- -,ality of values within a predetermined range.

3. In a knitting machine, the combination with a source of yarn supply, a'knitting mechanism, and means for feeding the yarn from said source to said mechanism, of means for conditioning the yarn for knitting comprising means for circulating a liquid with which the yarn cooperates for moistening thereby, means for adjusting the temperature of said liquid t'o a selected value within a predetermined range, and means for maintaining said selected temperature substantially constant.

I 4. In a knitting machine, the combination with a source of yarn supply, a knitting mechanism, and means for feeding; the yarn from said source to said mechanism, of means for conditioning the yarn for knitting comprising a structure with which the yarn cooperates for moistening the yarn, a reservoir, conduit elements connecting said structure to the reservoir in a circuit for causing liquid to flow through said structure, and

the temperature of the with a source of yarn supply, a knitting mechanism and means for feeding the yarn from said source to said mechanism, of means for condi-- tioning the yarn for knitting comprising a structure including a trough for holding a liquid body with which the yarn cooperates for moistening the yarn, supply and overflow conduits for said trough, means for controlling the temperature of said liquid and, conduit elements connecting said supply and overflow conduits and said trough 9 yarn supply, a knitting mechanism, and means for feeding the yarn from said source to said r 2,018,627 Q yarn for knitting comprisingmeans for circulat-- ing a liquid with which the yarn cooperates for moistening thereby, andmeans for controlling the temperature of, and removing foreign matter from, the yarnmoistening liquid.

7."The combination with a plurality of knitting.machine units each including a source of mechanism, of means for conditioning the yarns of said units for knitting comprising means for circulating a liquid with which the yarn of each unit cooperates for treatment thereby, and means ,for controlling the temperature of the yarncooling ineans to maintain the temperature of the liquid substantially constant.

9. In a knitting machine, the combination with a knitting mechanism, a'source of yarn supply, and means for feeding yarn from said supply to said mechanism, of means for conditioning the yarn for knitting comprising a trough-like receptacle, an overflow pipe in said receptacle determining the level of a yarn-conditioning liquid therein, an inlet pipe for supplying said liquid 'to the receptacle, a reservoir for a reserve supply of said liquid, conduit elements connecting said trough and said pipes in a circuit with said resv ervoir, electro-responslve heating and cooling the combination means for the liquid of said circuit,"a pump in said circuit, means for actuating the pump at aselected rate and thermal-responsive means for controlling the operation of said heating and cooling means toimaintain the temperature of said liquid substantially constant. u

' 10. In a knitting machine, the combination with a knitting mechanism, a source of yarn supply, and means for feeding yarn from said supply to said mechanism, of means for conditioning the yarn for knitting comprising a.

trough-like receptacle, a removable overflow pipe in said receptacle determining the level of a yarnture of said liquid substantially constant, means for adjusting said temperature to any one of a J plurality of values, and renewable 'filter means in said circuit for receiving foreign matter received into the circuit at the trough and presaid mechanism, of means for conditioning the yarn for knitting comprising means for circulating a liquid with which the yarn cooperates for treatment thereby, means for controlling the temperature of the liquid, and means including a filter unit for removing foreign matter from the liquid.

ROBERT N. APPRICH. 

